IDF kills Rafah battalion commander & son of Hamas official as dismantling of tunnel network continues

Over the past 40 days, the IDF has been engaged in an intense effort to locate a group of approximately 100 Hamas fighters trapped in tunnels beneath the city of Rafah and to destroy the remaining terror tunnel infrastructure in the surrounding area. 

According to reports from the Israeli media and the IDF, at least 40 terrorists were eliminated over the last week. 

On Sunday morning, the IDF eliminated the commander of Hamas’ East Rafah Battalion, along with his deputy and two other terrorists, as they attempted to flee a tunnel shaft towards the Hamas-controlled territory.

The fighters were spotted shortly after they emerged from the tunnels and were eliminated in an airstrike. 

🎥 WATCH: New Footage From the Pursuit of Hamas Terrorists

Over the past 40 days, our troops have been operating in a concentrated effort in the eastern Rafah area, with the aim of dismantling the underground tunnel routes and eliminating the terrorists hiding out within them.… pic.twitter.com/koqTe4iNvj

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) November 30, 2025

One of the terrorists killed on Sunday morning was identified as the son of senior Hamas official Ghazi Hamad. 

In a video posted on social media, IDF Nahal Brigade commander Col. Arik Moyal described the encounter while holding an Israeli Tavor rifle recovered from one of the terrorists. Col. Moyal identified the weapon as belonging to Staff Sgt. Or Mizrahi, a Nahal Brigade soldier who was killed fighting Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023. 

When the ceasefire agreement was made, as part of a deal to release the last living hostages, Israel was unaware of the presence of the Hamas fighters in the tunnels in Rafah. The fighters were located in an area where the IDF had already established control over above ground. While military command knew that several undiscovered and unexplored tunnels remained in Rafah, they had not yet been alerted to the presence of the Hamas terrorists. 

Shortly after the ceasefire was agreed upon, several of the Hamas terrorists in Rafah attacked Israeli forces in Rafah, killing three soldiers in two separate attacks. While Hamas declared that it had not violated the ceasefire, Israel responded by conducting several strikes within Gaza. 

However, after the incidents were investigated, it became clear that the Hamas fighters had not crossed the Yellow Line. The IDF began searching for the underground hideout of the terrorists, eventually discovering the area where location of the tunnel network. 

Despite efforts by Hamas and some mediators to condition the return of deceased hostages’ remains on a safe-passage deal for its fighters, Israel insisted the original agreement be upheld and told Hamas the militants could either surrender or be eliminated.

Over the past few weeks, the IDF has tightened the circle of forces around the area, eliminating or arresting every Hamas terrorist who exits the tunnels. 

At the same time, soldiers from the Golani and Nahal Brigades and the Yahalom Combat Engineers have been working to destroy the remaining tunnel infrastructure in the Rafah area. 

המאמץ במזרח רפיח נמשך: תיעודים חדשים מהמצוד אחר מחבלי חמאס

לכל הפרטים:https://t.co/tczsEUDw0n pic.twitter.com/bt1yjKAZoD

— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) November 30, 2025

The work to clear all remaining terror infrastructure in Rafah appears to be part of an effort to prepare the cleared area for initial reconstruction efforts. Egyptian television reported that a tent city is being constructed in the area surrounding the Netzarim Corridor, which is expected to contain 15,000 tents to house displaced Gazan civilians. 

This effort appears to be connected to the U.S. decision to limit rehabilitation and reconstruction to areas of Gaza that have been cleared of Hamas presence.